Question

Contrast the central role of nationalism in unifying Germany and Italy.

Answer 1

Causes of unification: Nationalism. As in Germany, the dream of national unity in Italy came to life in the aftermath of Napoleon’s invasions. Giuseppe Mazzini spurred the movement by founding Young Italy, a secret society aimed at creating a free, independent and unified republican nation. Economic integration. While some nationalists reminded Italians of its rich history, which included the glories of the ancient Roman empire and the central role of the Roman Catholic Church during Europe’s Middle Ages, others insisted that unification would end trade barriers among the Italian states and stimulate the economy. Camille Cavour. The Italian nationalist movement became centered in the kingdom of Sardinia, where its constitutional monarch, Victor Emmanuel II, made Cavour his prime minister in 1852. Their long -term goal was Italian unity, with Sardinia as the leader. Notice this storyline is quite similar to the one in Germany. Effects of unification Internal turmoil. Regional rivalries intensified after unification. The north had long been a hub of trade and a center of culture, and its relative wealth stood in stark contrast to the poorer south, where illiterate peasants worked exhausted farmland. The Catholic Church, angry about the loss of the Papal States and Rome, urged its followers not to cooperate with the newly unified Italian government. The constitutional monarchy extended the right to vote to only a small percentage of men. Socialists organized strikes and anarchists (people who want to abolish all government) resorted to violent tactics such as bombings.